History
of Uganda: - Most of the kingdoms popped up in Uganda in the 14th
century. Among them were the Baganda, Bunyoro, Toro, Ankole and Busoga. Over
the following centuries, the Baganda people created the dominant kingdom.
The tribes had plenty of time to work out their hierarchies as there was
very little penetration of Uganda from the outside until the 19th century.
Despite the fertility of the land and its capacity to grow surplus crops,
there were virtually no trading links with the East African coast. Contacts
were finally made with Arab traders and European explorers in the mid-19th
century - the latter came in search of ivory and slaves.
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Uganda's long string of tragedies since independence has been a staple of
the Western media so most people still regard the country as a volatile
place to be avoided. However, most parts of the country have been stable for
several years and the country's transformation has been little short of
astounding. Kampala is now the modern, bustling capital of a new Uganda, a
country with one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. Travellers are
drawn by Uganda's beautiful mountains, trekking opportunities and mountain
gorillas.
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Before independence, Uganda was a prosperous and
cohesive country. Its great beauty led Winston Churchill to refer to it as
the 'Pearl of Africa', but by the mid-1980s Uganda lay shattered and
bankrupt, broken by tribal animosity, nepotism, insanely corrupt politics,
mass murder and military tyranny. Despite the killings and brutality,
Ugandans appear to have weathered the storm remarkably well. However, even
rose-coloured glasses won't hide the country's huge debt, AIDS crisis and
less than desirable human rights record. It's advisable to ask for local
advice before travelling to areas near the borders of Rwanda, Democratic
Republic of Congo and Sudan, due to occasional incursions by rebel troops.
Full Country Name - Republic of Uganda
Area - 237,000
sq km (92,300 sq mi)
Population - 22,804,973
Capitals -
Kampala
People - Baganda, Lango, Acholi, Pygmy, European, Asian,
Arab
Languages- English, Swahili, plus 30 indigenous languages
such as Luganda.
Religion - Roman Catholic (33%), Protestant
(33%), indigenous beliefs (18%), Muslim (16%)
Government -
Republic
Visa
- The Ugandan authorities prefer that foreigners obtain visas at Ugandan
embassies / high commissions or consulates prior to arrival in Uganda.
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Time -
GMT/UTC plus three hours
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Climate
- The tropical heat is tempered by the altitude, which averages over
1000m. The best time to visit Uganda is late December to late February, as
the weather at this time of year is generally dry (though hot). A close
second is the mid-June to mid-August period. Don't even think about trekking
outside of these dry months.
Currency
- Uganda Shilling (USh). The Ugandan shilling is a stable, fully
convertible currency, fluctuating very little from day to day.
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Cities -
Kampala. A modern, bustling capital, Kampala suffered a great
deal during the years of civil strife. These days, Kampala even has casinos,
nightclubs and fancy restaurants. And it's safe. The Uganda Museum's most
interesting feature is its collection of traditional musical instruments,
which you're allowed to play. The Kasubi Tombs are on Kasubi Hill, a royal
palace enclosure first built in 1881. This is where you'll find the huge
traditional reed and bark-cloth buildings of the kabakas (kings) of the
Baganda people.
Bwindi National Park. Bwindi is one of Uganda's
most recently created national parks. Formerly known as the Impenetrable
Forest, the park covers 330 sq km (128 sq mi) in the south-west of the
country. It encompasses one of the last remaining habitats of the mountain
gorilla, and is home to half of the surviving mountain gorillas in the world
- an estimated 320 individuals.
Jinja Jinja lies on the shores of
Lake Victoria and is chockablock with old Asian-style buildings, reflecting
the days when the town had a sizeable Asian community.
Ssese Islands
This group of 84 islands lies off the north-western shores of Lake
Victoria. The islands escaped the ravages of Uganda's civil wars and remain
largely unspoiled.
Ruwenzori Mountains and Kibale Forest National Park
The mist-covered Ruwenzori Mountains offer some of the most challenging
trekking in East Africa. It's also the base from which to explore the Kibale
Forest National Park, 30km (19mi) to the southeast. The park is famous for
its chimpanzees, and is said to have the highest density of primates in the
world. It's also home to baboons, red and white colobus monkeys, and larger
mammals such as bushbucks, sitatungas, duikers, civets, buffalo and
elephants.
Lake Albert Lake Albert is part of the Great Rift Valley
system which extends from the Middle East to Mozambique, and since 1894 has
formed part of the border between Uganda and Congo.
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Restrictions - All nationals require an
International Health Certificate showing proof of a Yellow Fever and Cholera
vaccination within the past 10 years.
